A joint effort between the state’s Department of Health and the Attorney General to ban Xylazine received the total endorsement of the SD House.

Lawmakers in the lower chamber voted unanimously Wednesday to send the legislation to the Senate, which would add the drug called the “zombie drug” to the list of Schedule III controlled substances in the state and define permissible uses for the drug.

Currently, there are no laws on the book regulating the drug, most commonly used to calm or treat animals prior to a surgery.

But when consumed by humans, the drug can have devastating effects, like causing flesh to rot. Additionally, common drug treatment methods like Narcan are not effective against Xylazine.

South Dakota was one of the last states in the country to experience positive tests for the drug but has since had one positive case in the drug last year.

(SDBA)